Complaint: A complainant raised a number of concerns about a story ‘Irrigators reject claims that taxpayer-funded water-savings scheme is not audited’, including that it contained inaccuracies, was one-sided, misrepresented the views of a senior water researcher and failed to offer her a right of reply.

Complaint: Four audience members pointed out that reports inaccurately stated that an Iranian tanker was detained in Gibraltar in retaliation for the seizure of a British ship when in fact Britain had acted first and this was followed by Iranian retaliation. The error was made in one radio news report and an online story.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a report ‘IVF sex selection sparks ethical debate’ included comments from the director of the Plunkett Centre for Ethics without providing relevant context for the Centre.

August

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns of inaccuracies in a 7.30 report ‘Mind the Gap’ and associated online story ‘Baby’s brain tumour highlights “nightmare” experience with private health insurance”. The complainant also expressed concern that Teachers Health was not contacted for comment on claims made in the reports.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a report ‘Indian-controlled Kashmir stripped of statehood, drawing condemnation from China and Pakistan’ included an unsourced and unsubstantiated claim about the level of Kashmiri support for rebels’ demands that Kashmir be united under Pakistani rule or become independent.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an ABC North Queensland article ‘Townsville flood aftermath: Resident’s relentless mould battle six months after monsoon event’ included an inaccurate statement from a cleaner that black mould can cause lung cancer.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘AGL defers Liddell, Torrens power plant closures in bid to avoid summer blackouts’ inaccurately referred to the Torrens plant as coal-fired when it is gas-fired.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of a statement in the article ‘Canada acknowledges ‘colonial genocide’, but will it set a precedent in the Commonwealth?’ The article stated that both Canada and Australia are in breach of a number of domestic and international human rights treaties, including the Commonwealth Charter.

Complaint: Four online readers raised concerns with an RN story ‘Young Australians rejuvenate Israel’s collective living movement with urban communes’, including that it lacked balance and portrayed the history of the kibbutz movement inaccurately.

Complaint: An audience member expressed concern that an episode of Bluey broadcast on ABC KIDS inappropriately depicted an adult character knowingly eating a food that he was allergic to and showed this as harmless and humorous.

Complaint: A viewer complained that a repeat episode of Spicks and Specks shown on ABC COMEDY should have been preceded by viewer advice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers as one of the guests had died since the episode was originally broadcast.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of a statement that “…20 people left Sri Lanka in early May in a bid to enter Australia illegally” in the article ‘Christmas Island locals not told of asylum seekers who arrived on boat from Sri Lanka’. The complainant pointed out that it is not illegal to seek asylum.

Complaint: A viewer complained that the program showed footage from a doctored video of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and inaccurately said that President Donald Trump had tweeted the video as if it were real.

Complaint: A segment looked at media coverage of a recently published trial on the efficacy of stem cells in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The segment focussed predominantly on how the media coverage did not consider limitations of the research, which would have provided audiences with important context. A complainant raised concerns with the segment, including that it presented allegations against the research without adequate reference to responses from the centre responsible for the study. The complainant also said that the program failed to disclose that one of the experts interviewed in the segment who was critical of the study was undertaking his own research, backed by a regenerative medicine company, into treating osteoarthritis with stem cells.

June

Complaint: An online reader complained that the headline of an article ‘iPhones and cancer drugs rely on Chinese rare-earth minerals. What happens if Beijing limits them?’ inappropriately referred specifically to iPhones when the article related to smart phones generally.

Complaint: An audience member complained that an ABC Radio Brisbane online article ‘Dog park fights and what owners should do when four-legged friends become foes’ perpetuated myths and contained dangerous advice.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘Election 2019: Why Queensland turned its back on Labor and helped Scott Morrison to victory’ inaccurately reported swings of up to 15% in the seats of Capricornia, Flynn and Dawson.

Complaint: A complainant raised a number of concerns including accuracy, impartiality, fair and honest dealing and privacy in relation to an article ‘Young people don’t understand how texting can turn ugly, report says’.

Complaint: An audience member complained that an online piece ‘Your guide to the WA Senate ballot form’ inaccurately stated that the ALP planned to “…abolish dividend imputation (franking credits) for wealthy people who pay no income tax”.

Complaint: An online reader pointed out that an article ‘Government approved controversial uranium mine one day before calling the election’ inaccurately stated that the mine was expected to produce up to 7,500 tonnes of yellow cake concentrate over a 15-year period.

Complaint: Several viewers complained that a report on controversy around rugby player Israel Folau’s social media comments inaccurately identified Reverend Dr Hedley Fihaki as the national chair of the Uniting Church.

May

Complaint: Two online readers complained that an article ‘Eurovision event in Tel Aviv marked by protest as Israel ramps up security’ inaccurately stated that Eurovision was being held in Israel for the first time.

Complaint: A complainant said that an interactive chart in the article ‘Vote Compass reveals Australia’s most left-leaning and right-leaning seats ahead of 2019 federal election’ inaccurately showed the seat of Corangamite as being held by Labor when the sitting member was a Liberal MP.

Complaint: A complainant said that the guide for the electoral district of East Hills lacked balance and fairness in that it linked Liberal MP Glenn Brookes’ decision not to contest the 2019 election with controversies when he had “long made it clear that he did not intend to stay in Parliament for more than two terms”.

Complaint: A complainant said that an ABC reporter made false statements about him during a live broadcast on ABC Radio Melbourne Drive after a pre-recorded interview with the complainant was aired on the program.

April

Complaint: An online reader said that an article ‘What Instagram privacy settings and copyright mean for the photos you post’ inaccurately stated that news outlets are not required to obtain permission to use a photo from a public social media post, despite it being best practice to do so.

Complaint: An online reader said that an article inaccurately referred to Dr Mehreen Faruqi as an MLC. The audience member noted that Dr Faruqi had resigned as a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2018 to become a federal Senator for New South Wales.

Complaint: A complainant expressed concern that an article ‘Call for tougher trespass laws after dozens of animal rights activists invade feedlot’ implied that Brisbane Animal Save was involved in the protest action in question.

Complaint: Two complainants raised concerns about an online article ‘Timber can be more sustainable than other building materials, but it comes with some caveats’, including that it contained inaccuracies and was biased.

Complaint: A complainant said that an article about a paramedic who had been killed while responding to a job inappropriately included images and comments taken from a Facebook page without permission and that the article claimed the comments had been made by the complainant directly to the ABC.

Complaint: Two viewers raised concerns about the accuracy of a segment that discussed the Financial Services Royal Commission’s conclusions and recommendations as they related to mortgage brokers, and particularly the absence of any legal requirement for brokers to act in the best interests of the borrower.

Complaint: An online reader complained that the article ‘Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes sues Southern Poverty Law Centre over hate group label’ inaccurately stated that the FBI had designated the Proud Boys as an extremist organisation.

Complaint: A complainant said that an article ‘Five bush pilot deaths within a month spur calls for improved training’ was inaccurate in its reference to Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA) flight review requirements for gyroplane pilots.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a report ‘More than a million illicit cigarettes found hidden under tea in Melbourne’ inaccurately stated that the cigarettes were worth more than $10 million in evaded revenue.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘Britain’s battle over Brexit turns into political trench warfare’ inaccurately stated “Checkpoints have not been in place since 1998, when the good Friday Agreement brought peace after 40 years of violence between the North and the Republic.”

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of a reference to migrants having walked more than 4,000 kilometres in a report ‘A migrant family tear-gassed at the US border still hasn’t given up on the American dream’.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns about a segment ‘Calls to fine pedestrians for being distracted gets rolling coverage but short shrift from authorities’, including that it was inaccurate in its reference to the Pedestrian Council of Australia (PCA).

Complaint: A complainant pointed out that an article ‘Donald Trump vs Jim Acosta: Fox News backs CNN in lawsuit against White House over reporter ban’ referred to Jay Wallace as “Fox News head” whereas his title is President.

Complaint: A complainant raised a number of concerns about a story ‘Carers who Kill’ broadcast on ABC RN. The concerns included issues of accuracy, impartiality, fair and honest dealing, privacy, and harm and offence.

Complaint: A listener pointed out that a report which referred to the Federal Government’s plans to lower the company tax rate incorrectly stated that this applied to companies with an annual profit of more than $50 million whereas it should have referred to companies with a turnover of $50 million.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns with the accuracy of an embedded video in the article ‘Murray-Darling Basin Plan has failings in governance, timeliness and budgeting, Productivity Commission says’.

September

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘NDIS transition prompts fears for community mental health services, advocates expect reduced quality of care’ incorrectly stated that appointments with psychologists can cost more than $280 an hour.

Complaint: An RN listener complained that a news report inaccurately stated that Argentina’s soccer team had cancelled a planned World Cup warm up match against Israel over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.

Complaint: Two listeners raised concerns about aspects of a story ‘Monsanto to face legal challenge by dying man’, including that it contained an inaccurate claim that glyphosate was banned in Europe in the 1990s.

Complaint: A complainant pointed out that a story ‘Mental health a daily battle for many emergency service workers, Senate inquiry told’ attributed comments that had been made by Peter Marshall, United Firefighters Union of Australia National Secretary, to the wrong person.

Complaint: A reader complained that an article on the NSW Government’s $600 million drought package inaccurately reported that interest free loans of up to $50,000 would be available to farmers to, amongst other things, purchase feed for stock.

Complaint: A listener raised concerns that a segment on ABC Radio Hobart Mornings, regarding the Catholic Church in Tasmania joining the national redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse, contained factual inaccuracies.

Complaint: A viewer complained about comments made during a segment on the regeneration of the Great Barrier Reef. The viewer felt one comment was partial and that another comment, which stated drilling was occurring in the reef, was inaccurate.

Complaint: A complainant had originally raised multiple concerns about an AM report on the Cashless Welfare Card in Kalgoorlie. The complainant on this occasion raised a concern about the action taken in response to the previous upheld complaint.

Complaint: Two readers objected to the use of the terminology “Islamic State salute", in an article about the trial of Moutiaa El-Zahed for refusing to stand for a judge, when referencing a gesture made by El-Zahed outside court.

Complaint: A reader complained that former Prime Minister Tony Abbott had been misquoted in an article about Alinta Energy making an unsolicited offer for the Liddell power plant. He had been quoted as saying ‘they know if Liddell stays open, it will drive up the price of power’.

Complaint: Comments were made by a guest on the program about Senator Pauline Hanson, during a news review segment which explored how information spreads in the digital era. The guest had discussed a Guardian Online article that reported how Senator Lucy Gichuhi had wrongly claimed Australia would fund 10,000 scholarships for Africans, which Senator Gichuhi later retracted, as well as Senator Hanson’s response to those claims. Concerns were raised by a complainant that the description of the events mischaracterised them and inaccurately implied that Senator Hanson had continued to make statements related to this after the Minister for Foreign Affairs had corrected the story.

Complaint: A complaint was received about an ABC Online article ‘Budget 2018: Annual auditing requirements of self-managed super funds to be reduced’. The reader felt the article inaccurately asserted that anyone with less than $1.6 million in super is exempt from paying tax on investment earnings.

Complaint: A complainant challenged the accuracy of an online article and associated radio reports
on the 2018 Tasmanian State Election campaign, which stated that Labor MP Madeleine Ogilvie displayed her election campaign posters in a former abortion clinic.

Complaint: A viewer complained that during a live broadcast of a press conference discussing allegations of sexual harassment against Fremantle Dockers’ coach Ross Lyon, the presenter in the back-announce mistakenly described the allegation as sexual assault.

Complaint: A reader requested a correction to an opinion piece ‘Why Australia should be wary of the rise of the warrior cop, with tools to match’, where it stated six police officers had been shot and killed in attacks since 2008.

Complaint: Three complaints were received about an ABC Online article ‘How the tax system slugs our youth’. The readers felt the article inaccurately asserted that retirees pay no income tax, with one reader also asserting bias.

Complaint: Nine complainants raised various concerns about coverage of corporate tax rates in two News Online stories: a news story examining why many large Australian companies do not pay corporate tax and an analysis of proposed changes to company tax rates. The complainants alleged that the reporting was inaccurate and partial.

Complaint: A complainant raised several concerns with reference to on-air comments made about the Greens candidate for the Batman by-election, Alex Bhathal, and the Greens leader, Senator Richard Di Natale. The complaint primarily concerned accuracy, but also raised issues relating to corrections and clarifications and fair and honest dealing.

Complaint: A reader challenged the accuracy of information presented in an online article on new enterprise agreements, complaining that the article inaccurately suggested wages were being driven down.

Complaint: A complainant communicated their concerns about the independence, accuracy and impartiality of several aspects of an online article which reported on the potential health risks posed by consuming tank water.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of statistics pertaining to sexual violence against men contained in the article "In the age of #MeToo, how do we talk about sexual violence against men?".

Complaint: A viewer raised concerns about a promotion for the ABC app which featured two people swinging from the raised bucket of a tractor, referring to potential safety issues and the possibility of copy-cat behaviour amongst children and young adults.

Complaint: A complainant communicated their concerns about the accuracy and impartiality of several aspects of the triple j broadcast ‘Have you ever been treated badly at work?’, in which a young woman alleged she was fired from her retail manager job for taking a week of stress leave.

Complaint: An ABC News Channel viewer challenged the accuracy of an interviewee’s statement regarding voluntary contributions women could make to their superannuation in order to make up a shortfall due to career breaks.

Complaint: An online reader pointed out that a story ‘Australia Day: Greens to use local council numbers to lead #changethedate push’ inaccurately stated that triple j would not be holding its annual Hottest 100 Countdown on 26 January “for the first time” this year.

Complaint: A complainant expressed concerns that a segment on ABC Radio Brisbane allowed a guest, the editor of a Brisbane weekly magazine, to essentially spruik commercial interests during a discussion of ‘things to do this weekend in Brisbane’.

Complaint: An audience member expressed concern that an article from RN’s Earshot program ‘It’s time to rethink how we treat child sex offenders’ inaccurately suggested that it was a proven phenomenon that all or most sex offenders and paedophiles were abused themselves.

Complaint: A viewer complained that an episode of the program on ABC ME inappropriately showed children making a solar food dehydrator using sheets of polystyrene in a black box to heat and dehydrate apples for human consumption.

Complaint: A listener complained that during an interview with Social Services Minister Christian Porter on the Government’s proposed compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse, the presenter inaccurately stated that “…the Royal Commission heard plenty of evidence that people who are abused often will become abusers themselves”.

Complaint; An ABC NEWS Channel viewer complained that a story about a decree issued by Saudi King Salman giving women in Saudi Arabia the right to drive for the first time next year wrongly showed vision of the late King Abdullah rather than King Salman.

Complaint; An audience member complained that the ABC further amplified offensive comments about the same sex marriage debate made by a talk back caller by using those comments on social media as publicity for ABC Radio Melbourne.

Complaint: A complainant said that a report ‘Submit to your husbands: Women told to endure domestic violence in the name of God’ inaccurately claimed that the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane failed to respond to requests for comment.

Complaint: An online reader questioned the accuracy of statements in an article ‘Chronic pain sufferers continue to fight stigma to get relief and diagnosis’, specifically that “One in five Australians live with chronic pain” and that chronic pain is a “health burden that costs Western society almost equal to diabetes and cancer combined”.

Complaint: Three RN listeners complained that a segment on plans by Tassal, Australia’s biggest salmon producer, to expand into Okehampton Bay on Tasmania’s east coast, only presented the views of those who were strongly critical of Tassal’s plans.

Complaint: Several viewers complained that during a discussion of the City of Yarra’s decision to drop reference to Australia Day and cancel its annual citizenship ceremony, a panellist inaccurately stated that the 26th of January signified the day that Captain Cook landed in Australia.

Complaint: A viewer complained that a promotion on ABC2 contained inappropriate content for the time it was broadcast. Another viewer raised the same concerns about a separate promotion shown in the same block.

Complaint: A listener complained that Senator Nick Xenophon was inaccurately referred to as an “independent Senator” in a story ‘PM dismisses requests to review Australia’s commitment to Paris agreement’.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘How social housing fraud in NSW is slipping under the radar’ inaccurately stated that a social housing tenant quoted in the article lived at the Greenway Housing Estate in Kirribilli NSW.

Complaint: A complainant said that a story ‘Child was covered in infected cockroach bites, mother of removed boy tells royal commission’ was accompanied by a photo of children unrelated to the story and that, while their faces were not visible, the children were identified by name.

Complaint: An ABC Radio Perth listener questioned the objectivity of a segment that discussed a press conference between the South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Federal Minister Josh Frydenberg.

Complaint: A complainant expressed concern that a report on events around allegations of a financial scandal involving the New South Wales branch of the RSL inappropriately included background images of the Merrylands and Rooty Hill RSL clubs.

Complaint: Three online readers complained that an article ‘Penalty rates: Hospitality union United Voice ramps up efforts to fight decision’ inaccurately stated that the Federal Government had made the decision to cut penalty rates for Sunday workers.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘Financial planner accountants have one last chance to redeem reputation with APES 230’ inaccurately stated that “about 20 percent of accountants are also financial planners”.

Complaint: An audience member complained that an article on the triple j Hack site ‘The Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution, explained’ distorted history and displayed a simplistic and one-sided version of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

April

Complaint; A complainant raised a number or concerns about a 7.30 story ‘Seven West’s Tim Worner acknowledges affair and outlines profit drop’, including accuracy, impartiality, and fair and honest dealing. The complainant also expressed concern that a clarification made by the program lacked impartiality. A separate complainant also raised concerns about the clarification.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a report ‘Donald Trump bank regulation rollback promise welcomed by analysts, markets’ included the views of Norbert Michel as an expert on financial regulation without disclosing that Mr Michel is a research fellow at a conservative think-tank.

Complaint: A viewer complained that during a discussion of a ‘fake doctor’ who had practiced in NSW, a panel member inaccurately stated that the Australian Medical Association controls registration for doctors.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of an aspect of an article ‘Sergey Kislyak: Who is the Russian ambassador to the US?’ The context of the story was news reports about contact between the Ambassador and representatives of US President Donald Trump’s campaign team during the US election.

March

Complaint: A viewer complained about inaccurate references to ‘independent’ Senator Nick Xenophon in a story ‘James Packer caught in middle of Israeli political scandal’ and in an interview with the Senator.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘Heimlich manoeuvre: Inventor of life-saving technique dies aged 96’ inappropriately promoted the manoeuvre, which the complainant said was in fact dangerous.

Complaint: An online reader said that a story ‘US election: What happens now? It’s going to be a volatile four years’ included a map which purported to show how millennials voted but in fact showed their voting intentions.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘Queensland woman ordered to pay legal costs after failed Facebook racial vilification case’ included a misleading statement: “The offending Facebook posts included comments such as “QUT fighting segregation with segregation?” and “ITT niggers”, although the alleged author of the latter post disputed he wrote it”.

Complaint: A Queensland Country Hour listener challenged the accuracy of a story on the release of the Queensland Government’s Agriculture and Environment Committee report ‘Hendra virus EquiVac vaccine and its use by veterinary surgeons in Queensland’.

Complaint: An RN listener raised concerns about an interview with Doctor Philip Nitschke, including that the program did not provide information about support and advice available for those who may need it.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘Getting good sleep when you can’t have it at night…can it be done?’ failed to adequately outline the risks of parents co-sleeping with their babies.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a story ‘Nahed Hattar: Prominent Jordanian Christian writer shot dead outside court ahead of cartoon trial’ referred to an assailant’s dishdasha garment as something that is worn by Sunni extremists. The audience member also complained that the name of the garment was misspelled.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of a report which stated that a robot had been detained by police at a political rally in Moscow, with authorities attempting to handcuff the machine.

Complaint: A complainant said that a report ‘Memory of fallen digger Trooper ‘Poppy’ Pearce driving Army’s next multi-billion-dollar purchase’ misrepresented facts relating to Australia’s contribution to the war in Afghanistan.

Complaint: Several audience members complained that television and online reports on a father who was seeking special permission from the Queensland Government to use cannabis oil in hospital for his daughter’s palliative care included an inaccurate statement from a doctor that children had presented in hospitals in comas and died from cannabis oil.

Complaint: A listener complained that a report ‘Labor to target families earning over $100,000 to find budget savings’ inaccurately stated that the Australian Labor Party would continue to oppose the Government’s plan to put a co-payment on prescriptions.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a promotional post on the Q&A Facebook page was misleading, lacked balance and did not accurately reflect the major political parties’ positions on issues of sexuality.

Complaint: A journalist whose story in the Sydney Morning Herald was the subject of a Media Watch segment complained that the segment included inaccuracies, was misleading and that Media Watch did not seek to contact him directly before the segment went to air. A separate complaint was received by an audience member who raised similar concerns.

Complaint: An RN listener complained about aspects of an interview with the Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison in which the presenter extensively questioned Mr Morrison on the findings of a Grattan Institute report on negative gearing and capital gains tax reform.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a report ‘Changes to aged care let elderly pay for services in their homes’ inaccurately stated that Government subsidies would be paid to consumers directly.

May

Complaint: A complainant said that an image published on the Hack program page to accompany a podcast on coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef was deceptive in that it was not in fact an image of the Great Barrier Reef.

Complaint: A complainant said that an episode that looked at Australia’s dance party drug scene included footage of him responding to a journalist’s questions in a way that failed to respect his privacy. Specifically, the complainant felt that his image was not adequately blurred and his voice was not modified.

Complaint: A complainant said that a report ‘Australians using payday lenders increased 80 per cent in two years: research’ included an inaccurate statement that consumers who don’t repay loans on time can face annual interest rates of more than 300 per cent. The complainant expressed dissatisfaction with the ABC’s initial response which advised that the reporter’s reference to this figure as the “interest” a borrower would have to pay on the loan was not materially misleading and that the report was in keeping with the ABC’s editorial standards for accuracy.

March

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘Timeline: Five years on from deadly Brisbane and south-east Queensland floods’ failed to include the fact that three engineers were later cleared by the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an article ‘Research draws attention to amount of energy needed to produce vegetables versus meat’ included inaccuracies and mischaracterised the research that was the subject of the article. The online reader also said that the article failed to note that the findings of the study related specifically to a US context.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a mobile notification from the ABC iview app was inappropriate for young children. The audience member noted that he had the app’s parental filter set to only allow ABC Kids content.

February

Complaint: A complainant said that a report ‘Slater and Gordon: Uncertainty over law firm’s future, or survival, as share price dives’ included a number of inaccuracies and was misleading. Further, the complainant claimed the report failed to attribute information to credible sources, failed to consider the source’s motive and failed to provide Slater and Gordon with a fair opportunity to respond to allegations.

Complaint: Three viewers complained that a character in an episode of the children’s program broadcast on ABC2 inappropriately referred to chickenpox as a mild disease that is nothing to worry about. The viewers also expressed concern that the episode conveyed an anti-vaccination message.

January

Complaint: A complainant said that a report inaccurately stated that the company Thai Union was “alleged to have subjected hundreds of workers to slave-like conditions, including children, at its Gig Peeling Factory outside Bangkok”.

2015

December

Complaint: An RN listener challenged the accuracy of a presenter’s statement during an interview with Senator Jacqui Lambie: “As far as I know – and I could be wrong here – but I don’t know of links of people who’ve come in [to Australia] as refugees and then committed terrorist offences”.

Complaint: Several complainants raised concerns about a segment ‘Approach some claims with caution’, which focussed on media coverage of a woman’s claims that she was the victim of a VIP paedophile ring. The complaints included that the segment contained inaccuracies and was a “character assassination” of the woman.

Complaint: Two online readers complained that the headline of a story about a police search of Parramatta Mosque following the fatal shooting of a civilian police employee was inaccurate and inflammatory.

Complaint: An ABC NewsRadio listener complained that interviewee Leslie Cannold was introduced as ‘Doctor’ in a discussion of a new phone service offering abortion drugs to women in remote Australia. The listener noted that Dr Cannold’s qualifications are not in the medical field and that her introduction was misleading given the nature of the discussion.

Complaint: An online reader complained that user-generated comments on an article ‘Transgenderism: The Latest Anti-Feminist Wedge of the Left’ promoted intolerance, ridicule and incited hatred. The complainant also said that a post was reported to the ABC moderator but no action was taken.

November

Complaint: A complaint was received about two RN Earshot programs ‘Jerusalem: A divine crime scene’ and ‘An unholy mix: Jerusalem, religion and archaeology’. The complainant said that the programs were inaccurate and misleading, presented only one perspective and unduly favoured that perspective, failed to provide fair opportunity to respond to allegations made against Israeli authorities, and did not disclose the program maker’s pro-Palestinian perspective at the time of broadcast.

Complaint: Two complaints were received about a 7pm News story and an online report ‘Hendra virus vaccine: CSIRO scientist recommends fewer injections; owners say vaccine killed healthy horses’. Concerns raised included that the reports were inaccurate, biased and lacked balance.

October

Complaint: A complainant said that a guest on the 936 Hobart Mornings program inaccurately stated that Mrs Gina Rinehart had wanted workers to work for two dollars a day. The complainant also said that this was not challenged by the presenter.

Complaint: Two 774 ABC Melbourne listeners complained that a presenter inaccurately stated that Senator Ian Macdonald had directed a comment “learn to speak Australian, mate” at Senator Penny Wong. This occurred during a discussion between two presenters about the content of that day’s upcoming Mornings program.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story on Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s response to a decision to overturn the approval of Adani’s Carmichael coal mine failed to report that job creation figures quoted by the Prime Minster were contested.

Complaint: An audience member complained that the online transcript of a story carried an inaccurate headline: ‘Warnings to tighten passwords as Russian hacker gains access to Australian online share trading accounts’.

Complaint: A complainant said that a report ‘Healthway executive director David Malone gets $226,000 payout’ was biased and failed to provide the former executive director with a fair opportunity to respond to claims included in the report.

Complaint: Four viewers complained that during a debate about a controversial episode of the ABC program Q&A, the Lateline presenter stated that Prime Minister Tony Abbot had referred to Zaky Mallah as a “convicted terrorist”.

Complaint: An RN listener complained that a story ‘When a surgeon is not a surgeon’ misleadingly gave the impression that a woman who died after a liposuction procedure in Melbourne in 2007 had the procedure carried out by a cosmetic surgeon.

April

Complaint: A viewer complained that an on-screen summary of an interview with a Courier-Mail journalist inaccurately stated that the journalist predicted an ALP win in the 2015 Queensland state election.

Complaint: Three audience members pointed out that a story ‘Top Australia cheesemaker travels to Turkey to learn about hairy goat’s cheese’ included an inaccurate quote in which it was stated that Homer wrote the Odyssey 8,000 years ago.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a story ‘Amalgamation of South Australian councils top priority for Property Council’s new coalition’ inaccurately stated that Victoria has only 34 councils.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story inaccurately stated that “A fatal plane crash off south east Tasmania during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race was not caused by mechanical failure, an initial investigation has found”.

Complaint: Several viewers complained that a story ‘Greyhound racing industry faces fall-out of Four Corners report into live baiting’ failed to warn the audience that it contained footage of animal cruelty.

Complaint: A complainant challenged the accuracy of ABC stories about amendments to North Stradbroke Island sand mining legislation. The complainant also raised concerns about the adequacy of corrections made to reports.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘Kurtley Beale says he was ‘vindicated’ by outcome of code of conduct hearing’ inaccurately stated that a panel had found that Mr Beale did not send a second, more offensive text to a former business manager.

Complaint: A complainant said that a presenter inaccurately stated that selenium could be found in seaweed emulsion but not in other fertilisers. The complainant also said that the program inappropriately included references to a commercial product.

Complaint: A complainant said that the program inaccurately stated “The new national security law – which was supported by all parties except the Greens…” The complainant noted that Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm also opposed the law.

Complaint: An audience member complained that material published on The Science Show’s website in relation to an interview broadcast on the program inaccurately stated that “Earth’s climate is changing at the highest of predicted rates…”

September

Complaint: Several complaints were received about an episode ‘The Orphan Business’ which looked at the issue of orphanage tourism in Cambodia. Complainants raised various concerns including that the program was sensationalist, breached privacy and inaccurately portrayed a particular residential care facility as one with poor standards and questionable motivations.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a story ‘SA Liberals to seek reform of Electoral Act “fairness provision”’ inaccurately stated that Labor won 53 per cent of the two-party preferred vote in the March 2014 South Australian state election.

Complaint: A complainant said that coverage of the approval for the Carmichael coal and rail project in Queensland failed to disclose relevant information about a commentator whose views were included in reports.

Complaint: A complainant said that a report inaccurately stated that the Yothu Yindi Foundation would not comment on whether their invitation to the Prime Minister to spend a week with the Yolngu community still stood in light of the Prime Minister’s comments about Australia being unsettled prior to British arrival. The complainant said that the ABC did not seek comment from the Foundation on this question.

Complaint: A 666 ABC Canberra listener complained that a comment “Up until 1940 you could apply to the British High Commissioner in Australia for a licence to hunt Aboriginal people here in this country” was racist and libellous.

Complaint: An online reader complained that a report on a proposed congestion tax in Adelaide inaccurately referred to the head of the Urban Development Institute as the head of the Urban Design Institute.

Complaint: A complainant challenged the accuracy and impartiality of a segment on 612 ABC Brisbane in which the 7pm News was being promoted. The complainant said that the segment misrepresented Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.

Complaint: A complainant raised concern about the nature of some comments posted to ABC Facebook pages in discussions about a Four Corners program ‘Stone Cold Justice’ which looked at concerns about the arrest and detention of Palestinian children by the Israeli army in the West Bank. The complainant said that several comments were anti Semitic and that whilst some were deleted or edited by ABC moderators within twenty four hours, many remained accessible for up to two weeks.

Complaint: A complainant challenged the accuracy of an aspect of a story ‘Journalism students fight for council data’ which looked at a student project on transparency and accountability of local councils.

Complaint: An interviewee challenged a press release from the Western Australian Mines and Petroleum Minister which stated that the Fraser Institute Survey of Mining Companies 2013 had rated WA as the world’s top-rated jurisdiction for investment attractiveness. A complainant said that the interviewee’s strong criticism was inaccurate and that he was not challenged by the presenter.

March

Complaint: Two complainants raised concerns of inaccuracies in a report ‘Navy gang rape victim breaks silence in search for treatment’. Among the complainants’ concerns was that the story drew its premise from findings of the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART), but the DART’s independence from the Department of Defence was not made clear to the program’s audience, so those findings were misleadingly attributed to Defence.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a story inaccurately stated that cinematographer Damien Parer had won Australia’s first Oscar in 1943 for the documentary Kokoda Front Line. The audience member pointed out that the film’s director Ken G. Hall won the Oscar.

Complaint: Two complainants said that a story ‘Did Tasmanian Premier’s Office give draft to pulp mill?’ inaccurately reported that the Tasmanian Government had provided draft legislation to receivers KordaMentha to approve before it was made public.

Complaint: A complainant said that a story ‘Doping, cruelty and collusion claims dog greyhound racing industry’ failed to mention that a trainer who made doping claims in the story had served a suspension for a positive doping violation.

Complaint: Several complainants expressed concern of a breach of privacy in relation to a story which showed footage of the home of the recently appointed head of the Queensland Government’s anti-bikie Strategic Monitoring Team.

Complaint: A complainant said that a story ‘Inquiry begins into David Eastman’s conviction for murder of Colin Winchester’ inaccurately reported that delays in the Inquiry were partly due to the resignation of the original Inquiry head.

Complaint: A complaint was received about a report on the Coroner’s findings into a railway level crossing accident at Kerang, northern Victoria. The complainant said that the report incorrectly showed images of the train driver while naming the driver of the truck that hit the train. The complainant also noted that the ABC had previously made the same error.

Complaint: An online reader challenged the accuracy of a story on a drink driving charge against Peta Credlin, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff. The online reader pointed out that the charges had not been dropped, as reported, but that the magistrate did not record a conviction.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns that the documentary Five Broken Cameras was an example of the ABC’s bias and imbalance in its coverage of Israel over time. The complainant also raised concerns that comments posted on the ABC2 Facebook page after the broadcast were racist and anti-Semitic..

Complaint: Several audience members complained about a Lateline interview (and subsequent coverage on ABC News Breakfast, ABC NewsRadio Breakfast and RN Breakfast) with Roger Corbett, Reserve Bank board member and Chairman of Fairfax Media, in which he stated that Kevin Rudd had been discredited as Prime Minister. Complainants said that the interview failed to disclose Mr Corbett’s affiliation with the Liberal Party.

Complaint: An online reader complained that an opinion piece ‘The lessons for Australia from Detroit’s painful decline’ inaccurately stated that US auto workers received the equivalent of seventy dollars per hour in wages and benefits.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns of a lack of accuracy and of a failure to provide an adequate opportunity to respond to an allegation in relation to segments on the roll-out of the National Broadband Network in Scottsdale, Tasmania.

Complaint: A complainant said that a headline ‘Reggae-loving parrot joins Vanuatu’s climate change fight’ was inaccurate in that the focus of the attached video story was not about a climate change fight.

Complaint: A complainant said that the introduction to a story on ABC News 24 misrepresented the Egyptian Ambassador to Australia’s comments in a way that suggested he had compared the Muslim Brotherhood to Hitler.

Complaint: A complaint was received about an RN presenter’s assertion that “in some Yeshiva religious schools, [in Israel] there’s segregation on the basis of skin colour as well”. The complainant said that the assertion was made in the introduction to an interview but was not put to the interviewee to rebut.

Complaint: A listener complained that an interviewee in a story ‘Environmental and financial concerns about PNG government takeover of Ok Tedi’ was not fully introduced in context. The complainant said that Mr Martin Namorong’s affiliation with the PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) was not acknowledged in the report.

Complaint: A complainant said that a reporter incorrectly stated during an interview that “in the budget Wayne Swan and Julia Gillard – both of whom are now gone – delayed the giving of aid to a lot of foreign countries until the next budget”.

Complaint: An audience member complained that The Weekly Post on ABC NewsRadio made reference to a story about an offensive mock menu at a fundraising event but failed to note that the restaurateur had subsequently stated that the menu was not actually circulated at a Liberal-National party fundraiser.

Complaint: Several viewers complained that a presenter stated that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) was not a tax during an interview with Greg Hunt, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns about a story ‘A conflict of interest’ on a lobbying controversy involving the Queensland Liberal National Party Government. The story reported that two ministers in the Queensland state government, Dr Bruce Flegg and Mr Scott Driscoll, had been forced to resign because of the way they managed their lobbyist registers. The complainant said that the story failed to attribute to or acknowledge the role of the Courier-Mail or its reporters in bringing to light matters that formed the basis of much of the broadcast.

Complaint: The ABC received complaints that various news items failed to respect Indigenous cultural practices by inappropriately reporting the full name and publishing images of the recently deceased Yothu Yindi lead singer Mr Yunupingu.

Complaint: A viewer complained that a Head First episode ‘The Wrong Body’ inaccurately stated that “there’s a 41 percent suicide rate among transgender people, more than 25 times the rate of the general population”.

Complaint: Several audience members complained that a tweet sent from the Q&A Twitter account misrepresented Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s position on the abortion drug RU486. The tweet said that Mr Abbot would reverse the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s RU486 decision if he became Prime Minister.

Complaint: A complaint was received about an item published on the ABC’s Environment portal ‘Open letter to the managing director of Coca-Cola Amatil’ written by the CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. The item, clearly labelled as ‘opinion’, was part of an ongoing campaign by Greenpeace and others in relation to a proposed Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). The complaint raised concerns of a lack of balance, inaccuracy and the lack of an opportunity to respond to allegations.

Complaint: A complainant raised concerns about the accuracy of a report on the passage of the Tasmanian Forest Agreement in the Tasmanian state parliament. The complainant said that the introduction to the report inaccurately stated that Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne had said that Tasmanian Greens Leader Nick McKim had “left many shaking their heads”.

Complaint: An RN listener complained that broadcast of Boyer Lectures by Professor Marcia Langton, which included criticism of the environment movement and Professor Tim Flannery, failed to acknowledge that Professor Langton’s research had been assisted by the mining industry.

Complaint: A complainant said a 7.30 story and an associated ABC News Online story inaccurately described the nature of the relationship between negotiating parties in a dispute between Fortescue Metals Group and local land owners over a multibillion dollar project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

2012

December

Complaint: An RN listener pointed out an inaccuracy in a segment that referred to an article from The Age which discussed the recent death of Ian Hankin, former Chairman of the Banksia Financial Group.

November

Complaint: A complainant said that radio news reports inaccurately stated that proposed reforms to the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act being pursued by ASIO would affect the ability to intercept “without warrants”.

Complaint: A complainant said that footage of him was taken without his knowledge and used without his permission in a segment that looked at mental illness. The complainant expressed concern that this may have given the inaccurate impression that he suffered from a mental illness.

Complaint: An audience member complained that a comment posted by the ABC on the News Facebook page was inappropriate and lacked balance. The comment stated “Today Obama has issued a warning to the Assad regime that it will be held accountable by the international community for using its deadly weapons. When was the last time the US Govt was held accountable for using its deadly weapons?”

Complaint: An audience member complained that a story ‘US man walks cable stretched across Niagara Falls’ contained an inaccuracy in terms of the timing that a ban had been in place on such walks over the falls.

Complaint: A complaint was received about an interview with a representative of the Noosa Coast Guard in which it was stated that the Coast Guard had recently rescued a group of local Sea Scouts from the Noosa Bar. The complainant noted that there were no scouts on the water or involved in the incident.

June

Complaint: A viewer complained that a story gave an inaccurate impression that the Federal Government was breaking an agreement with the New South Wales Government relating to the financing of upgrades to the Pacific Highway.

Complaint: Two complaints were received about a report on the fifth anniversary of the Kerang train crash in northern Victoria. The complainants said that the report incorrectly identified the train driver as the driver of the truck that hit the train.

Complaint: A number of complaints were received about commentary which suggested that cyclists should share the blame for ‘dooring’ incidents, where motorists open their car doors into the path of a cyclist.

Complaint: A complainant said that a Radio Australia story ‘Climate science abuse emails released’ inaccurately stated that an email released by the Australian National University described a physical threat to use a gun against an academic.

Complaint: A complaint was received about an episode of the Message Stick series 480:ANZAC, including that it contained inaccuracies and that the family of one of the subjects of the episode was not contacted to verify information or to give permission.

Complaint: A complaint was received about the use of photos of two boys in a story about new accommodation and support funding for young mothers with mental illness. Although the boys were the children of a woman interviewed in the story, she was not their legal guardian.

Complaint: A complainant said that a journalist misrepresented Coalition policy during an interview with Indonesia’s Ambassador to Australia by stating that a Coalition Government would “turn back every boat” of asylum seekers.

Complaint: A complaint was received that two online stories dealing with clean coal included an inaccurate statement that “Resources Minister Martin Ferguson declined the ABC News Online Investigative Unit’s requests for an interview”.

Complaint: A complaint was received that a report ‘Ta Ann workers protest in Huonville’ inaccurately stated that a Huon Valley Environment Centre spokeswoman had refused to address protesters at the centre.

Complaint: A complainant pointed out that a news story published on the 1233 ABC Newcastle website inaccurately referred to native title matters when the report was actually about land claims under New South Wales legislation.

Complaint: An audience member complained that there were inconsistencies between the classification symbols and/or consumer advice preceding programs broadcast on ABC1 or ABC2 and the same programs published on iview.

The ABC has grown remarkably since it launched on 1 July 1932. This is a snapshot of our achievements, programs and personalities and celebrates the ABC's contribution to Australian life for more than 80 years.